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Rain from the Cloud – 01.28.12

Singles on SoundCloud from new releases featuring: Anchorless, Autoband, Leisure, Like Spinning, Miike Snow, Matt Pryor, and School of Seven Bells.

Anchorless – “Settle with the Signs”from Every Nook And Crannyout February 6 on Pony Records“Settle with the Signs” is full of jangly arpeggios and bouncy beats reminiscent of early REM. The Danish sextet will satisfy those longing for the days of 80s college radio. While you wait for their second recording to drop, go ahead and grab their first, here.

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Autoband – “Sunbeam”from Autobandout now onBeat Service/PhonofileOn “Sunbeam”, Gudmund R. Østgård aka Autoband enlists the support of Ingvild Østgård (his sister) on vocals. Using a slow tempo of percussion with quiet chords from an acoustic guitar the track settes into quiet ambience as Ingvild sings mournfully. You can pick up the entire album on eMusic for less than $5.

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Leisure – “Invisible Hand”
from Plastic Soulout March 2012Leisure is back at it again with another release from the highly anticipated, “Plastic Soul”. Sam Hamad’s guitar is featured prominently on “Invisible Hand” from its bright opening notes to the delicately played rhythm under the chorus. Another winner from this Boston-based outfit. Can’t wait for the album.

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Like Spinning – “Forces”from the Forces/My Window double singleout nowKari Kamrud Jahnsen fronts this five-piece band out of East London. Jahnsen is originally from Norway, and studied at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts. “Forces” is an indie pop tune with a beautifully subtle composition. Jahnsen proves to be a skilled songwriter, who conveys emotion well.

— Miike Snow – “Black Tin Box”
from Happy To Youout March 27 onDowntown/Universal RepublicLykke Li floats briefly into “Black Tin Box”, an austere electronic recording that has a cold, industrial feel. “Happy To You” is the follow up to their self-titled debut in 2009. You can preview “Paddling Out” and “Devil’s Work” at Miike Snow’s website.

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Matt Pryor“Your New Favorite” “Polish the Broken Glass”from May Day on Big Scary Monster Recordsout nowThe Get Up Kids frontman releases his second solo LP, “May Day”, and it’s full of carefully crafted pop songs. Pryor effectively demonstrates his prowess as a songwriter on this album, which makes good uses of folk and power pop arrangements. He walks the line between Michael Penn and David Dondero in the way he writes intelligent, accessible songs that can be played repeatedly with increasing enjoyment. You can check out Pryor’s track by track commentary for “May Day” here.

” Your New Favorite”

“Polish the Broken Glass”

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School of Seven Bells – “Lafaye”from GHOSTORYout 2/28 on Vagrant/Ghostly InternationalThis is the second track we’ve previewed from “GHOSTORY”. “Lafaye” contains elements of shoegaze, ambient electronics, and Alejandra de la Deheza’s ethereal vocals. Lafaye is also the name of a tormented character on the upcoming release. Looks like it’s a concept album! You can pick up the single with an exclusive b-side “Love From A Stone” through digital retailers such as Itunes and eMusic.